Kirkman Finlay
| Kirkman Finlay | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Member of Parliament for Malmesbury | |
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In office 1818–1820 |
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| Member of Parliament for Glasgow burghs | |
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In office 1812–1818 |
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| Preceded by | Alexander Houstoun |
| Succeeded by | Alexander Houstoun |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 1773 Glasgow, Great Britain |
| Died | 4 March 1842 (aged 69) UK |
| Political party | Tory |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
| Profession | Businessman, Politician |
Kirkman Finlay (April 1773 – 4 March 1842) was one of the leading merchants in Glasgow, Scotland. He was Lord Provost of Glasgow and Member of Parliament.
Kirkman Finlay was born in the Gallowgate, the second son of well known Glasgow merchant and textile manufacturer James Finlay (1727–1790). Upon his father's death in 1790 he became head of James Finlay & Company, manufacturers and East India merchants. He made strenuous efforts to capture lucrative Asian markets, successfully challenging the supremacy of the British East India Company in trade with India and the Far East. Under his leadership the business expanded, moving into cotton manufacturing with the purchase of the Ballindalloch Works in 1798, the Catrine Mills in 1801 and the Deanston Mills in 1806.. They became the largest textile concern in Scotland and the first British merchant to trade directly with India (1816).
Whilst developing James Finlay & Co. into the leading merchant firm of its time he also led a very active public life. He was Governor of the Forth and Clyde Navigation, President of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce eight times, Dean of Guild, Lord Provost of Glasgow (1812), Member of Parliament (1812–1820). A marble statue by John Gibson (1790–1866) is in the vestibule of the Merchants' House on George Square.
His opinions, especially on mercantile questions, were listened to when he was in the House of Commons, and quoted there when he had left it; always a busy man, he still found time for much public and charitable work – he was a liberal and a kindly man, and his word was as good as his bond.
Described as "a political economist of an advanced type", his knowledge of banking was considerable. He was an extraordinary director of The Royal Bank of Scotland from 1821 until his death in 1842, and made his presence felt in many matters of importance in Scotland at that time. He was part of the abortive scheme to raise a joint-stock bank in Glasgow around 1793, he agitated for the retention of the Scottish one pound note in 1826 (appearing before the House of Commons Committee on Promissory notes in Scotland and Ireland), and was also active in opposing the changes to factory conditions in 1833.
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